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Getting to Know Barbara & Henry

Barbara Floersch & Henry Flood co-lead the Grant Management Essentials training program. They both juggle many hats, and have many years of experience writing grant proposals and training grant pros. We wanted to get to know them a bit better—their grant wins and what they do when they aren’t training or consulting.

Amy & Beatriz: Do you remember the first proposal you ever wrote? What was it for?

Henry: Yes, it was 38 years ago for a housing rehab and community development project. It missed the funding line by about 3 points and the substitute qualifying data that would have resulted in a winning proposal was rejected because it was not certified by the state planning office.

Barbara: The first proposal I was involved in developing was a group project. It was so long ago! What I remember now is sitting and taking notes in what seemed like endless meetings and debates over approaches and costs. I was pulled into the process because I could write clearly. The proposal was meant to secure funds to help runaway and homeless young people. It was a federal proposal.

Amy & Beatriz: Do you remember your first grant-win? What was it for and how did you feel?

Henry: I certainly do! My first win was a re-submit of the prior proposal that failed. It was totally euphoric until the five pound stack of federal papers came with a thud on my desk. Can you imagine my terror at 26 or so? That winning proposal of $245,000 led to about 8 million more in follow-on funding for the small rural community I represented.

Barbara: I don’t actually remember my first win. But I do remember that once I really got into writing proposals, most of what I submitted was funded. I had a really high rate of success. It feels GREAT to win a grant award.

Amy & Beatriz: What are you currently working on? Proposals? Consulting?

Henry: I do not write many grant proposals now. I became a regulatory junkie after earning an MA degree in Legal Studies. Now I function as an expert in post-award grant administration for The Grantsmanship Center and a governance expert for other organizations. My training marriage is with Barbara Floersch and we co-teach Grants Management Essentials around the country. I'm developing two new training courses and several professional articles.

Barbara: Writing, writing, and more writing. Planning and developing online grant training. Doing Grant Management Essential trainings with Henry Flood and further developing that curriculum. Making special presentations and doing some of the Center’s 5-day and 2-day trainings.

Amy & Beatriz: How do you manage your time between training, consulting/working, and your personal life?

Henry: I must, say that it is a challenge to train, consult, have a personal life and be a care-giver too. I have three schedules.

Barbara: My work is such a part of me that I sometimes wonder what a purely personal life is. I’ve always worked a lot because I like the creative, social-activist part of the grants world. I like making good things come to life and seeing them continue through the stewardship and diligence of those who come behind. But I do think I have good time-management skills, so I’m able to figure out how much time projects take, and schedule in the work and my personal life.

Amy & Beatriz: How do you relieve stress? And when you’re not training or writing proposals where can you be found?

Henry: I change into a totally different person by being an entertaining crooner of Latin and American standards and jazz standards in several venues in Miami, Washington, DC and even in LA with the great Rick Michael.

Barbara: I can be found in my perennial garden, reading, decompressing through chats with my husband, and playing with my two grandchildren. Believe it or not, I also spend some of my personal time doing non-grant related writing—essays, restaurant reviews, etc.

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